1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to reflective insulation assemblies having members such as pipes extending therefrom and particularly to self-adjusting seals for such extending members.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of bright, or highly reflective sheets assembled into panels which provide thermal insulation for industrial equipment has been an established practice for a number of years. Ordinarily, aluminum or stainless steel sheets are used for this purpose. The high reflectivities that characterize these materials tend to obstruct the flow of radiant heat and provide an efficient, sturdy, light-weight, and long-lasting insulation.
In the commercial use of such insulation assemblies problems of fabrication and installation have been encountered. One of the commonly occurring problems has been that of sizing panels to provide a seal around pipes and other protrusions extending through the insulation panels. Very often it is discovered when the fabricated reflective insulation units are delivered that the workmen who erected the structure deviated from the engineering specifications and drawings in the actual dimensions of the finished structure. The fabricated reflective insulation panel thus does not properly fit on the actual structure in the field leaving gaps around the protrusions. This is especially the case in situations where the panel required a cut-out to allow a pipe to extend through the insulation panel.
Another problem with such construction is that a certain minimum gap must be provided around the pipe extending through the insulation panel to allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the pipe. It will be remembered that such pipes may be used to carry superheated steam and the expansion and contraction of the pipe is quite sizable. This gap then becomes a source of considerable convection heat loss from the insulating panels and detracts significantly from the thermal efficiency of the insulation system.